irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $864KStrategic Communications & Digital Campaigns/Research Develop on and offline communications to help elevate Black womens voices and help shape the national narrative about Black women in American politics. Accomplish this through the development of website content, production of the Sunday Brunch Series, Facebook Live, and Twitter chat events, and seeking to expand earned media media opportunities. Compile, conduct and release research on Black womens political and civic leadership.
- #2 $998KNetwork Developing a network of Black women and allies and providing members with training and tools to harness their political power. Create on and offline activities and networking opportunities to help Black women lead from the voting booth to elected office.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
#BlackWomenLead Unstoppable Summer Playlist
Curated cultural initiative featuring music by Black women artists to celebrate joy, resistance, and freedom during the summer months.
Chisholm Summer Reading List
Annual reading list curated by Higher Heights featuring books by Black women authors across genres including fiction, political and social issues, memoirs, and children's literature.
Network Development
Builds a network of Black women and allies through training and tools to harness political power, creating on and offline activities and networking opportunities to support leadership from the voting booth to elected office.
Strategic Communications & Digital Campaigns
Develops online and offline communications to elevate Black women's voices, including website content, the Sunday Brunch Series, Facebook Live, and Twitter/X chat events to shape the national narrative about Black women in politics.
Sunday Brunch
Weekly virtual event providing political analysis and community engagement, serving as "political meal prep" for participants to share with their communities.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
-
Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Hosting civic engagement events and digital content seriesHosts weekly virtual "Sunday Brunch" events, Facebook Live sessions, Twitter chats, and produces a Substack newsletter to provide political analysis, leadership conversations, and engagement tools for Black women and their communities.
-
-
Civic Engagement and Voter Mobilization 1 activity
- Organizing and mobilizing Black women votersRuns the #BlackWomenVote campaign to organize and mobilize Black women voters through digital outreach, social media engagement, remote phone banking, text banking, and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) fundraising efforts.
-
-
Political Leadership Training for Underrepresented Groups 1 activity
- Providing political leadership training and capacity buildingDevelops the political leadership pipeline for Black women through online and in-person trainings, tools, and resources in partnership with organizations, covering pathways from voting to elected office.
-
-
Uncategorized 4 activities
- Curating cultural and educational resourcesCurates and publishes annual summer reading lists featuring books by Black women authors and creates themed playlists like the #BlackWomenLead Unstoppable Summer 2026 playlist to celebrate Black women’s cultural contributions.
- Producing multimedia content on Black women’s leadershipCreates and shares videos honoring Shirley Chisholm’s legacy, reflecting on Black women’s political impact, and featuring leaders such as Hazel Dukes through interviews and anniversary commemorations.
- Producing research on Black women’s political participationConducts and publishes research on Black women's civic and political leadership, including voter behavior (e.g., 92–96% support for Democratic presidential candidates), representation in Congress, statewide offices, mayoral positions, and state legislatures.
- Supporting Black women political candidatesIdentifies, celebrates, and supports Black women candidates running for office by publishing lists such as the Shirley Chisholm 2025 Sisters to Watch List and tracking over 600 Black women candidates in a searchable database with filters by state, party, and primary outcomes.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.45M
Contributions & grants$3.45M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$3.64M
Program expenses96%
Admin / overhead1%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$1.19M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$321K
Cash$321K
Investments$0
Liabilities$290K
Net assets$31K
Liquid reserves1.1 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +252.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glynda Carr | President and CEO | 20 | $199K |
| Eboni Taylor | VP of Programs | 32 | $163K |
| Shannon Arthur | VP of Instiutional Development | 22 | $159K |
| Aprill Turner | VP of Communications and External Affairs | 21 | $155K |
| Kennetta Pipper | Events Mgr/Director of Events | 23 | $106K |
| Lisa Hargrove 081624 | Chief of Staff | 23 | $101K |
board members · 4
- Joy Williams — Board Member
- LaToia Jones — Board Member
- Leah Daughtry — Board Member
- Simone Ward — Board Member
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- Ascend PAC Partner — PAC partner providing financial support to Democratic candidates in select states
- Blue Institute Partner — Training partner bringing young people of color into progressive campaign leadership
- CBC Institute Partner — Training partner focused on educating voters and training future leaders
- CBC PAC Partner — PAC partner increasing African American representation in Congress
- Emerge America Partner — Training partner providing political leadership development for Democratic women
- Emily’s List Partner — PAC partner supporting pro-choice Democratic women candidates
- Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook Live events as part of digital campaign programming.
- Feminist Majority PAC Partner — PAC partner supporting feminist Congressional candidates
- Higher Heights Leadership Fund Network — Sister organization operating as a national 501(c)(3) focused on leadership development and political power building for Black women.
- Higher Heights for America PAC Network — Federally connected political action committee working in coordination with Higher Heights for America to expand Black women's elected representation and voting participation.
- Higher Heights for America PAC Partner — PAC partner electing Black women to public office at all levels
- IGNITE Partner — Training partner building a movement of young women political leaders
- NAACP Partner — Collaborated with former National President Hazel Dukes of the NAACP for a video on Shirley Chisholm's legacy.
- National Women’s Political Caucus Partner — PAC partner recruiting and training women candidates for office
- National democratic training committee Partner — Training partner providing free political training for Democrats and progressives
- New American Leaders Partner — Training partner preparing first and second generation Americans for elected office
- New Leaders Council Partner — Training partner educating a new generation of leaders
- Office you can run for Partner — Resource partner helping individuals identify eligible offices to run for based on location
- Planned Parenthood Action Fund Partner — PAC partner advancing sexual health care and reproductive rights
- ROSA PAC Partner — PAC partner raising funds for women of color running for Congress
- RePower Partner — Training partner supporting candidates and community organizers
- Run for Something Partner — Training partner recruiting and supporting young progressive candidates
- Running start Partner — Training partner preparing young women to run for public office
- Shannon Arthur Government — Vice President of Institutional Development at Higher Heights for America
- She Should Run Partner — Training partner encouraging women from all backgrounds to run for office
- Shirley Chisholm Partner — Higher Heights for America honors Shirley Chisholm's legacy through its Sisters to Watch List.
- Spotify Partner — Hosts the #BlackWomenLead Unstoppable Summer 2026 playlist created by Higher Heights for America.
- The Arena Partner — PAC partner supporting first-time candidates running for office
- The Collective PAC Partner — PAC partner addressing African American underrepresentation in elected office
- Twitter Partner — Hosts Twitter chat events as part of digital campaign programming.
+ 4 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Amplification of Black Women Candidates and Leadersmethodology: amplification-of-Black-women-candidatesBy creating visible platforms—such as searchable databases and digital showcases—for Black women candidates and authors, we expand their reach and electoral viability because visibility increases voter awareness, media attention, and campaign support.
- Cultural Narrative Change Through Strategic Communicationsmethodology: cultural-narrative-changeBy using research, digital campaigns, and strategic communications to elevate Black women’s voices and reshape public perception, we increase political acceptance and engagement because shifting cultural narratives reduces bias and expands leadership opportunities.
- Data-Driven Advocacy for Political Paritymethodology: data-driven strategy developmentBy analyzing and applying data on Black women’s political participation and representation, we design more effective strategies to achieve leadership parity and policy change because evidence-based planning improves targeting and accountability.
- Grassroots Mobilization and Networked Power Buildingmethodology: grassroots_mobilizationBy mobilizing grassroots volunteers and building a connected community of Black women and allies through civic engagement tools and training, we generate sustained political influence because collective action amplifies voice, voter participation, and leadership development.
- Leadership Pipeline Development for Black Womenmethodology: leadership-pipelineBy recruiting, training, and supporting Black women across the socio-economic spectrum to run for office and influence policy, we increase their political representation and systemic impact because structured pathways address historical exclusion and build durable power.